Welcome to Noor Expo 2023
Welcome to Al Haadi School’s second Noor Expo, hosted on February 25th, 2023 / 5th Sha’ban 1444. The theme of this year’s Noor Expo is Knowledge and our teachers and students have developed a very unique exposition regarding it.
Your journey will begin in 329 Hijri (940 CE) Kindergarten where the Occultation (Ghaybah) of the 12th Imam (a) has just begun. The students will inform our visitors about how angels spread their wings for the seeker of knowledge and how the creatures of Allah (swt) all seek forgiveness for them. Thereafter, the students will lead you towards Samarra, where the 12th Imam (a) was last seen.
They searched every nook and cranny;
to kill the Imam combed every alley.
They looked forward to this Imamate ending,
as his life meant, Batil’s doom impending.
As Jesus was taken from his people;
to test the faith of his people;
Your Imam was taken from his people;
to safeguard his message, and test his people;
Now that the Imam (a) is gone in Occultation, the Shi’a community is left in a state of confusion. You will move next to the grade 5/6 classroom where the Shi’a Imami scholars of the 4th-5th century hijri are busy at work. You will meet great legends like Shaykh Saduq, Shaykh Kulayni, Shaykh Mufid, Shaykh Tusi and ‘Allamah Majlisi who worked tremendously hard to preserve the Shi’a heritage and tradition. You will see how they travelled for years to gain knowledge and to gather the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) to ensure that the Shi’a community has a strong heritage to rely upon for centuries to come.
With the Imam in Occultation;
was this going to be a leaderless nation?
Are believers going to be left to their own devices?
in the midst of gloom and the worldly vices.
Did you not hear Muhammad’s message;
that scholars are the inheritors of his message;
That mightier is the ink from the pen of a scholar;
than the blood of a risen honored martyr.
Scholars like Saduq, gathered the jurisprudence;
Mufid put together the life of Imams and their credence.
Kulayni collected and compiled hadith literature;
Tusi, Majlisi and many more added to this faith structure.
Like Bilal’s Adhan, their call can soothe your heart;
a call to success, a place for you to start.
righteous, brave scholars brings dust to life;
Like Bu Turab, reflecting God’s true might.
After the Shi’a scholars of the 4th-5th century strived hard to preserve the knowledge tradition of our religion, they left behind a great heritage of the Imams (a) for the Shi’a community. As you enter Grade 4, you will be given a glimpse of the university of Imam al-Sadiq (a) and some of the Imam’s (a) students. There you will meet Zurarah, Safwan al-Jammal and also Sa’ida a female student of Imam al-Sadiq (a).
When the powers were at each other’s throats;
raiding each other’s territory like scattered hordes;
in the midst was the city of Medina so tranquil;
full of eager students with their scroll and quill.
A teacher walked into their midst;
every eye on his luminous face was fixed.
Words of wisdom flowed like pearls
as the flag of knowledge he unfurled.
Jafar Sadiq was an Imam and a teacher;
a guide, a leader and a Quranic preacher
expert of sciences and human nature;
master of Akhlaq, Deen, Fiqh, and of grand stature.
Then you will move to the grade 2 class, which is the palace of Ma’mun al-Rashid, where he has organized a debate with Imam al-Rida (a) and people of different religious backgrounds. Watch how the Imam (a) would express his knowledge in challenging topics of religion while Ma’mun would try his best to embarrass the Imam (a) and find faults in him.
The powers extracted Imam Ridha and exiled him;
from Hijaz to Tus, a plan hatched so grim.
They plan and Allah also plans;
Indeed Allah makes the best of plans.
They wanted to embarrass him in front of people;
make a mockery, a show in front of the people;
they gathered great scholars of different faiths;
to challenge the Imam to a public debate.
Imam argued and won each one of them;
Like magicians bowed out to Musa, each one of them.
Proving the verse of al-Fatir, the Quran’s acknowledge:
“those who truly fear Allah, are those who have knowledge.”
The Imams (a) taught in various different eras and circumstances. Next, you will move to the grade 3 classroom, where students will demonstrate how Imam al-Sajjad (a), despite living in such difficult conditions, continue to push knowledge to the community through the power of supplications and other ethical teachings.
When the Ummah was infected by materialism;
this brought an order of greed and barbarism;
they had chosen darkness over light;
Chose to worship the evil who show might.
Imam Sajjad, recited his duas in their midst;
like the Prophet recited the Quran to resist;
He rekindled the meaning of Tawheed, belief in one God;
that he alone is worthy of worship, the only one lord.
You will also then be shown a scene by the grade 1 class from the life of Imam al-Husayn (a) and how the companions who had the honour of accompanying the Imam (a) in his mission were those who were pinnacles of knowledge and understanding.
Hasan saw the Ummah disunited and deceived;
reversing all that his forefathers had achieved.
He sacrificed his leadership so truth can be clarified;
the cursed tree and its children could be identified.
There is a season for war, a season for peace;
choosing peace over war was a difficult feat.
Like Hasan, people also doubted the Prophet’s treaty;
but Allah says “surely We have granted you a clear victory”
Husayn presented the victory and the final clarification.
his sacrifice shook the core of this slumbering nation,
After Karbala, the crown and rulership lost the hearts;
for on it were etched the Imams enlightened path.
Your journey will end in the grade 8 class where you will be brought back to the era of the Occultation of the 12th Imam (a). Now that you have learned about the efforts of the scholars, and the knowledge of the Imams (a) that the scholars preserved for us, what is our responsibility in the era of the Occultation? Students will speak about the role of mass media, public education and introduce Al Haadi School’s vision and 6 dimensions which are an integral part of our holistic training program.
From Imam to scholars this message carries on;
knowledge to knowledge, the journey carries on;
sword, poison, and torture were ways to muzzle;
yet we inherit this message after such a struggle;
For our Imam, what have we actually prepared;
To him, what triumphs do we have to declare?
All we have are empty slogans and false hopes;
No fire within but a blinding smoke.
A new era of hope can still begin;
by restoring our goals, we shall win.
Strive hard and become more active;
seek knowledge and practice.
Stand firm in these troubled times;
for there is ease after hardship by the sublime.
A world free of injustice and oppression;
peace and tranquility among nations;
O Allah protect us against weariness and laziness;
rectify us to be his supporters with status of loftiness
rekindle Your religion through his hands;
with us behind him in his committed band.
